Producing artillery projectile bodies



arch 23, 1943. D, J, CAMPB LL 2,314,342

PR ODUCING ARTILLERY PROJEGTILE BODIES F'ilecl March 18, 1941 v 4 Sheets- Sheet l I" 1 I Q Zinnentor DaI a/ I J. Chm/wk attorney March 23, 1943. D. J. CAMPBELL PRODUCING ARTILLERY PROJECTILE BODIES Filed March 18, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I a QQGOGQGGQ G I I I I I I 7J0 7 a/d c7.

attorney March 23, 1943; D. J. CAMPBELL 2,314,342

PRODUCINGARATILLERY PROJECTILE BODIES Filed March 18,1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 "3n vent or W d a. 62

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D, J. CAMPBELL PROHUCING ARTILLERY PROJECTILE BODIES 4 Sheets-Shet 4 Filed March 18, 1941 3maentor Deva 7 CZCZWfibQ/U attorney carrying the charge of high explosive stantially concentric with the outer periphery meet the above named objects;

body is cast, the

I preventing porosity in Figure 5, except it is looking downward from Patented Mar. .23, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PRODUCING AR'IILLERY PaoJEo'mLE BODIES Donald J. Campbell, Spring Lake, Mich.

Application March 18, 1941, Serial No. 383,937

6 Claims, (01. 22-113) My present invention relates to improvements in artillery projectile bodies having a cavity wherein to carry a charge of high explosive during its flight, and the objects of improvement are, first, to provide an artillery projectile body of cast ferrous metal; second, to provide an artillery projectile body of cast ferrous metal that will be sound and free from imperfections; third, to provide an artillery projectile body whereof the fourth,

burst in chunks and not in elongated splinters as do such bodies formed from ductile steel by drawing and forging;

fifth, to provide an artillery projectile body whereof the base will be sound and free from porosity; sixth, to provide a hollow artillery projectile wherein the cavity for will be subof the projectile; seventh, to provide a method for producing artillery projectile bodies that will which I attain by the artillery projectile body herein described and the structure of the projectile and mold illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

- Which-'- Figure 1 is a plan view of the mold in which 'four artillery projectile bodies embodying my improvements are produced, the view having line 1-1 designating the plane on which the following vertical sectional views are taken.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of my preferred mold structure in which my projectile section is taken on line I--I of Figure 1, and illustrates the structure ofthe mold with the projectile casting cavities and arrangement of the gates and passages through which I the molten ferrous metal is delivered into the casting cavities and the means for assisting in the base of the projectile.

Figure 3 is a sectional view showing an alternative. structure to that of Figure 2.

Figure 4is a cross-sectional view of one of the mold units taken on line IIII, of Figure 2.

Figure'5 is a sectional view of the mold, the

cores forming the cavities in the projectiles, the

cavities therefor and portions of the gates for delivering molten metal to the mold cavities,

the section is'taken on a plane extending transversely of the mold On line III-J11 of Figure 2 and looking downward from said line,

Figure 6 is a similar sectional view to that of taken on a transverse plane lineIV-IV of Figure 2,

the view shows the arrangement of the gates through which the molten metal is delivered to the mold cavities, the mold cavities in which the projectile bodies are cast and cores whereby the cavities within the projectile body is formed.

Figure '7 is an elevation view of an artillery projectile body as cast by my improved method, the projectile body having a portion cut away in order to show'the cavity within the projectile.

Figure 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the insert for preventing porosity in the base portion of the projectile body, and for supporting the core forming the cavity within the projectile.

Throughout the drawings similar numerals refer to similar parts or portions; and referring thereto: y r

Numeral 1 represents a projectile casting of ferrous metal such as steel and cast in my chill mold which consists of'a'lower portion 2 comprising a plurality of chill portions 3 and upper mold portion 4 comprisin'g'a plurality of chill portions 5, or the alternate structure shown in Figure 3, which has a plurality of sand portions 6 within the flask portion 1 which is shown provided with a plurality of outwardly extendng lugs 1a having holes extending therethrough for the reception of flask pins 1b that are supported by lugs 10, extending outward from the lower mold portion 3. In my preferred mold, the upper portion rests on and is separated from the lower mold portion 3 by core like slab 8 having a plurality of gates 8 extending to the mold cavities ID, from gate ring cavity II which is connected to runner sprue cavity l2 connected to the gate ring cavity II, and to the sprue cavity l3 by Vertically disposed gates M, the sprue cavity terminates at its lower end into basin [3a. Each mold cavity ID has supported therein core portion l5 and I511 both built of granular core material around perforated hollow arbor l6 supported at its top by key I! extending through the arbor at its upper end and through the'neck l8 caused 'by the sudden form a somewhat fiat wad or body of steel which is again heated to a like forging temperature, placed between drawing dies mounted in a powerful press and drawn or forged to the shape of a large elongated shell having a closed end and another end open to permit withdrawal of the punch portion of the dies, and after the forging has been removed from the dies and cooled, it is machined both exteriorly and interiorly, the machined forging is then again heated and its open end swaged to form the conical front portion of the projectile and thickened to permit cutting a screw thread therein after which the projectile body is machined for length, the exteriorfinish machined and the screw threads for securing the fuse in the cut in the end of the projectile body.

Artillery projectiles produced by the process described have objections that cannot shezeliminated by drawing or forging, these objections are, the constituent structure is drawn out'longitudinally-of the projectile, therefore is broken into elongated splinters :or slivers -when burst by the explosive force of thej'high explosive charge, and "not into chunks as required, and in many cases ,e front end =:of the proj ectile Y in broom ,like formation and leaving the 1b ase intact withthe further objections, the projectile 'produced :by drawin or forging are expensive to produce and do notlendthemselves to *rapid-pro- 'duction. These :objections :are entirely overcome in-the projectile produced :bymy improved method, which consists "in providing a chill mold of ferrous metal such ,as: steel, to the form shown in the accompanying drawings, which comprises the lower-portion l the sla-b core 8.

In carrying out the method of producingartilleryprejectile bodies, I provide the mold as'shown and described. {I place within each mold cavity of the mold, the insertmember 49, with its under flat side restingagainst the bottom =of-t'he mold cavity and "the cup thereof upward :to engage the under end of the core which .is supported by the eupaxially within the *moldcavity, or I may suspend the core in i the :mold cavity as shown in Figure :by the key 11 extending throughthe arbor -16 upon which the core is built around, and having provided the mold with the core and insertjmember 1-9 therein, and having provided molten 'metal preferably an alloy 'steel, I pour into the sprue :cavity 13 the said molten metal whichfiows downward -therein and through vertically extending gates 44 into runner ring cavity molten metal t-fiows into the and therefrom :through the purpose of the insert-besides supporting the core in the mold, forms -a seal against entrance of hot gases that might ignite the charge of high explosive withinthe projectile cavity, :also refines the metal comprising the base portion of the pr ectile and further reinforces the projectile body against expansion within the gun barrel force of the burning propelling explosive.

.Having described my improved method for-producing artillery projectile bodies and the projectileproduced by the said method, the :rights, I desire are set-forth in the-claims hereafter enumerated.

1. In producingzartillery projectile bodies, the

extending preferably upward to l combination comprising a mold having upper and lower portions of ferrous metal in vertically spaced apart relation and a sand core like slab interposed between said upper and lower portions of which the upper portion has a plurality of cavities in which to form the front portions of projectile bodies, the lower portion having a plurality of cavities in which to form the base portions ofprojectile bodies, the sand core like slab having cavities portions in which -to form the intermediate portions of projectile bodies and a ring gate cavity encircling each mold cavity and having gates extending therefrom to the respective mold cavity for delivering molten metal from the said ring gate to the mold cavity formed by thesaid-uppenlower and sand core like slab, a vertically disposed runner sprue cavity extending vertically between all of the said mold cavities and having at its lower end a plurality of vertically disposed rectangular cross-sectional gates fordelivering molten metal from the said-runner sprue to the-ring gate cavities, a core supported in each mold-cavity for forming the explosive carrying'cavity and supported in said cavity by :a ferrous metal member comprising a cup engaging the base o1 said core, a ibaseiplate extending over 'the bottom of the mold cavity, "anda neck like support extending between the .said 'cup and base.

'2. In producing artilleryiprojectilebodies hav- 'ing an explosive carrying cavity, 'the com'bination consisting of a "mold having upper and :lower portions of ferrous metal invertically spaced apart relation, a sandcorej like slab interposed between the said portions of which the iupperiportion "has a cavity fin which to form the front portion of projectile bodies, "the lower 'portion having a cavityin whic'h-to form thebase portions of'projectile bodies, the core like slab having a :cavity in which to form the vintermediate"portion of the projectile bodies and a plurality of gates extending to the said cavities :for delivering molten metal to the cavities formed by the "said upper,

lower and sand core like slab, a runner sprue cavity extending verticallyadjacent'the said cavities and having vertically disposed gates for delivering molten metal from the'said runner sprue to the gate extending to the mold cavity in the saidsand core like slab, a core supported in the mold cavity for forming the explosive carrying cavity and supported in said cavity .by a ferrous metal member engaging the base of said core and 'a base engaging the'bottom of the mold cavity.

3. In producing artillery projectile bodies having an explosive carrying cavity, the combination consisting of a mold comprising upper'and lower portions in vertically spaced apart relation and a core like slab interposed between said upper and lower portions of which-the upper portion has a cavity in which to form the front portion of the projectile body, the lower portion having a cavity in whichto form-the base portion of the projectile body, the core like slab having an annular cavity in which to form :theintermediate portion ofthe projectile body and ring'gate cavity encirclin gates extendingfrom the ring gate to the mold cavity for delivering molten metal from the said ring cavity to-th'e moldgate portion formed by the said sand core like slabmember, a runner sprue cavity extending vertically in spaced apart relations to the said mold cavity cavity for forming the explosive carrying cavity therein and supported in said cavity by a ferrous metal insert comprising a cup engaging the said core, a base plate extending over the bottom of the mold cavity from the base plate and a support for the said cup extending between the cup and the said base.

4. In a mold wherein the said mold consisting of a portion in which to form the base of the projectile, an upper casting chill portion in which to form the front portion of the projectile, a core composition slab like member separating the said lower and upper portions and having therein a plurality of gates for delivering molten metal to the lower and upper chill portions, and a core support that becomes embedded into the projectile body when the said body is cast by its fusion with the metal of the body, the said core support comprising a cup for engaging the core forming the projectile charge cavity and a base with a neck separating the said cup and base.

to cast projectile bodies, lower casting chill 5. In a mold wherein to cast projectile bodies, a lower casting chill portion and an upper casting chill portion with a core composition member separating the said mold portions and having a hole extending therethrough in registration with the cavities of the said lower and portions and a plurality of gates therein for delivering molten metal to the said casting chill portions.

6. In a mold wherein to cast projectile bodies, an upper casting chill portion having a cavity in which to form a portion of the projectile body, a lower casting chill portion having a cavity in which to form the and having therein a core of granular core material and a cup like core supporting member engaging the end of the cavity of the lower casting chill portion and the end of the core, substantially as described.

DONALD J. CAMPBELL.

base portion of the projectile 

